The 1959 model year marked the moment where the automotive fin craze reached its zenith. However, while companies like Cadillac and Chrysler offered fins so high that they posed a threat to low-flying aircraft, the ones on the ’59 Chevrolet Bel Air more resembled a pair of arched eyebrows. It is a look that remains instantly recognizable today, and clean examples continue to attract attention on our roads and in the classic market. This car is a tidy survivor with a known ownership history and 64,000 genuine miles on the clock. The current owner has run out of storage space in his Man Cave, so something has to go. Therefore, he has taken the tough decision to list the Bel Air for sale here on eBay. It is located in Austin, Texas, and he has set a BIN of $22,400. Once again, Barn Finder Larry D has had his well-tuned radar working perfectly to spot this survivor for us, so thank you so much for that, Larry.
It seems that the Bel Air had belonged to three successive generations of the same family from new and that it only found its way from there to the current owner in around 2012. It looks like the years have been kind to this classic, but the owner chose to treat it to a repaint in its original combination of Gothic Gold and Satin Beige about 4-years-ago. It continues to hold a beautiful shine, with no evidence of flaws or defects. The panels are equally impressive, with no dings or bruises, consistent and tight gaps, and not a trace of rust. The owner doesn’t mention any previous or existing problems in this area, and if the car has spent its life in Texas, it may have remained rust-free. The trim sparkles as impressively as the paint, while all of the lights and lenses look crisp and clean. The windshield sports a singles star-chip that the owner has had repaired, but the remaining glass is crystal clear.
The owner only supplies two interior shots, and this is the best of the pair. The owner has treated the interior to a refurbishment, and while the photos paint a generally rosy picture, there are some potential flaws for buyers to consider. The seats are upholstered in an Impala combination of Light-Medium Copper and Dark Brown Cloth, complimented by Dark and Light Brown vinyl. The effect is pretty stunning, with the seat upholstery and the door trims appearing spotless. However, the piping that extends up the back of the front seat is splitting away, so it might require an upholsterer to return that aspect to its best. We don’t get any information on the state of the carpet, dash, or headliner, but with the rest of the interior presenting so well, there’s a good chance these components are also in good order. The dash houses an AM radio, and the owner was in the midst of installing air conditioning when he decided to place the car on the market. The compressor is mounted under the hood, but there is work left for the buyer to tackle before it blows cold. The owner includes the rest of the parts in the sale, so getting it functioning correctly should not be a tough assignment.
When we lift the hood, I don’t doubt that some readers will be disappointed to find that there isn’t a V8 occupying the engine bay. What resides here is the original and numbers-matching 235ci “Blue Flame” six that should be producing 135hp. The rest of the drivetrain includes a 3-speed manual transmission and power steering. This motor didn’t make the Bel Air a fireball in a straight line, with the journey down the ¼ mile taking a relatively leisurely 20.3 seconds. It’s not all bad news on the performance front because this Bel Air shouldn’t struggle at freeway speeds and would be a comfortable and relatively economical long-distance cruiser for a car of its size and weight. The owner claims that the Chevy has a genuine 64,000 miles on the clock, and while he doesn’t indicate whether he holds verifying evidence, its known ownership history makes this possible. Even if he doesn’t, the news remains good. He says that the Blue Flame erupts into life easily, the transmission is smooth, and the car runs and drives perfectly. I get the impression that the buyer could fly in and drive this baby home without raising a sweat.
I admit that I would have preferred to find a V8 under the hood of this 1959 Bel Air, but if we aren’t prepared to make some compromises in life, we are setting ourselves up for a string of disappointments. For most classic car enthusiasts, this car would possess sufficient power and performance levels to keep them satisfied. The current owner has performed a few upgrades to make the car easier to live with, but if a buyer seeks spotless originality, reversing those changes would not be difficult. The ’59 Bel Air performs well in the classic market, and pristine examples can easily nudge beyond $30,000 in V8 form. The right car with the right drivetrain combination can double that figure, and values continue to rise. The lack of a V8 will negatively impact this car’s potential value, and given its overall condition, I think the BIN looks pretty competitive. It will be interesting to see if anyone will hit the button to take this one home.
First thought that came to mind was the video of a newer model Chevy being crashed into one like this, to demonstrate its’ “un-crashworthiness!” This looks like a well kept survivor. GLWTA!! :-)
My first thoughts also Moparman. The car against this ‘59 is a ‘08 Malibu, the 59 doesn’t fair well, but that wouldn’t stop me from buying this sweet ride. I had a 59 Biscayne 2 door with this same drivetrain, pretty much bulletproof.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=59+chevy+crash+test
Yeah, that crash test was breaking news… ‘hey, our 50 year newer offering is actually safer’! That shouldn’t come as a surprise as the X-frames were considered to have their safety weaknesses even when new.
A raw deal for sure and nothing but a complete waste of vintage iron, fortunately not a rare one. I would’ve laughed my butt off if the engine from the ’59 penetrated the Malibu ‘killing’ its crash test dummies
Looks like a flip to me. I don’t say that lightly either. The paint job is not consistent in the pictures. And with a new interior how well was it before the new upholstery? Not seeing the asking price. Too much risk of surprises. Might be a good 10k car. My two cents.
See the U-S-A in your C-H-E-V-R-O-L-E-T!!
And see we did. I think this was the height of the “See the USA” campaign. Cars had gotten dependable enough, and since interstates( and automatics) were a ways off, this car was totally adequate for 2 lane cross country travel. You didn’t barrel along at 75 mph then, 50 mph was fine, and the ride was the adventure. This was the kind of car my parents neighbors, the Lieghtfelners, would have bought. At about $2,050 bucks new, just about anyone with a job could have one. ’59 is my favorite Chevy, and a great find. At 5 figures, I swear these people bumped their head. As nice as it is, it’s a $5-$7,000 car and for me to say that, either means I’m just shell shocked at the prices, or really think this car is worth $7grand. $22g’s is pure greed.
I agree with most of your comments, Howard. However, many parts of the Thruway system were already complete by 1959, including sections of the I-90 across NY state which were finished in 1954. They may not have all been connected yet, but it was much easier to see the USA.
None of the old cars are “worth” their prices. However, the way pricing goes with antiques is: “Whatever the traffic will bear.” Saying someone “bumped their head” is kinda rude. They won’t get more than someone is willing to pay. One cannot KNOW what they can get until they test the waters. The market will determine the “fair” price.
Beautiful! I had one identical to it, especially the color, but mine was a V8! Loved it! Can’t believe I picked it up for $10 back around 68-69 with a cracked crank! Replaced the engine in it & drove it while in high school! Ah, the good ole days!
I once had a ‘59 in army green. Zero shine as I don’t think it was ever waxed from the time my aunt bought it new until it was passed down to me some 15 years later. But it was a solid as a rock vehicle, for sure. And since she was deaf she ordered it radio delete. No sense in wasting money, right?
Odd that there was no mention of it being a 4 door.Thats more of a downer than it lacking a V8,which could easily be swapped in.Not a “more-door” fan…
And yet, I bet you drive something today with that many doors.
Most cars today have four doors, some with a rear hatch, or a tailgate. Those are my vehicles of choice. Two doors are fine if you have children under the age of 10 yrs., but you can do more with a 4 door car than with 2 doors.
I remember when our next door neighbor brought home a brand new dark green metallic one. I don’t remember if it was a 2 dr or 4 dr. But they had two sons, one of whom was my buddy. It attracted much attention from the whole neighborhood. He pulled into the drive, so that iconic tail was very much on display.
Beautiful looking car. I’d much prefer a Chev with a straight six engine any day over a V8 engine. V8 is fine for towing a caravan, but for most driving, you don’t need that much power.
“but for most driving, you don’t need that much power”
May be true… but I still “want” that extra power.
I reckon it depends on what you intend to use the car for.
Totally agree with you Car Nut – being a 4door pillared non-Impala model IMHO it literally screams for the budget I6/3spd combo. That six will just hum along nicely. A stock 283 doesn’t really make an X-frame a race car anyway…
I agree. A 4 door pillared sedan may not be as desirable as, say an Impala 2 door, a hardtop, or a convertible. But that doesn’t make it a bad car. Not everyone who buys a car does so to make a race car or a rat rod out of it. There’s nothing wrong with it if that’s what you intend to do. But I’m sure there are countless classic car enthusiasts who would love an original 4 door pillared sedan, or a station wagon.
At least that six isn’t hampered with the Powerglide.
Since not enough interior pics were posted, it’s difficult to tell what gearbox was used for this particular Chevy, whether it was a 3 on the tree manual or an automatic.
This could be a Low rider!
Or how about leave the suspension alone, and enjoy the car as it is?
I’m not ripping on the commentor,( or the 5 that agree with them) but here’s proof that the things we hold dear are fading. To us, this is a time piece, a portal back to when we were kids, cold rides in the back seat to grannies,, trips to the dentist( you hoped the car broke down, it never did), and people today can’t see the attraction. The 1st thing they think of, is this lowering fad, may as well paint some rust spots on it, while you’re at it. Nobodies fault really, just a shift in times, folks today couldn’t tell you who Dinah Shore was, and original cars like this will be lowered with 20″ clown wheels, much to our disdain.
Howard, isn’t Dinah Shore located just south of San Jose?
Or it could be left alone as it should be
Exactly! If everything works as they should, and there’s nothing wrong, I’d say leave it as it is, and enjoy it. :)
It’s not a racer… it’s a sculpture… a work of art from an ancient time… this is to be savored… this is to be loved not beaten.
If only more photos were posted. Ten pics are nowhere near enough when selling a car. The more pics the better.
In 1959 when this car arrived in my neighborhood, every boy with a bicycle headed for the driveway where this “new for ‘59” was parked. We marveled at the horizontal fins and the unforgettable “cat eye” taillights. No cellphones to capture the image, just our memories.
The first time I saw a 1959 Chevy, I can’t remember if it was a Bel Air or an Impala, but I could tell it was a 59 Chevy. I was about 10 yrs old. It was 1983, long before cellphones with camera technology. I loved how the car looked with its horizontal rear wings
I live this car. The six is strong enough, and power steering is a definite plus. Putting In AC might be great for comfort, but what power you do get will be cut in half. You might have to upgrade cooling system to keep it from overheating.
Or to keep comfortable while you drive.
Looking into that engine bay would lead me to believe the underside is in pretty good shape. If that is true this is a screaming deal n my book. If I had a place to keep it I would have it shipped to the house.
I’d buy one if it had a six cyl. engine, automatic, seat belts, and every option available for the car.
Engine bay has been painted as well – firewall should be body color.
Nice car but not 25g nice – just to many more doors around.
The paint is quite a ways off from the original Gothic Gold (WAY too dark). The Impala seatcovers were no doubt installed since they could be bought as cover sets from one of the aftermarket Chevy suppliers, whereas a Bel-Air seat could not. The door panels were redone by a local uph shop. They’re similar, but no way correct for a 59 BA, which, because of their embossings, could not be duplicated by a shop. Still looks way better than most you see now.
Nice but not original. Paint and interior new. Price too high for a 4 door, 6 cyl, 3 speed.
In the description, there is mention of the piping on the tops of the seats splitting away. That’s not piping. 59 Impalas had a decorative mylar (chrome) strip (like Christmas tree tinsel) heat welded into the seatbacks. Most of the repro seat cover makers simply ‘glued’ it on. It didn’t last, as can be seen in the photo. To make it last on the seat, it needed to be heat welded on, which they did not, or could not, do.
This color combo is just plain unappealing. True gothic gold is closer to terra cotta in color, and is far more appealing than this 1970s brown.
Can’t believe they want that ki d of money for a 4 door,crazy. The pri es for cars are get to be like the price of houses,I can’t believe people are falling for it.
I have to agree. While I love the car, I wouldn’t pay $100k for the car. I don’t think anything is worth that much.
I love the colour. Whether the colour is original, or not, it still looks good.
The two cars colliding and Malibe in the best shape. If you ever seen one of these malibues–you,d know this was a prop. I once saw a wreck.Where about a 69-70 Ford Ltd ran into a new Dodge Ram 1500. It tore the axle and all out for under the Dodge. Had to haul in away on a roll back. All it done to the Fors was bent the fender up a little and he drove off. I,d rather have that 59 Chevrolet –then any late or new model Chevrolet. You can take a cheap ball point pin and go around the new Chevs and punch holes in the metal. A friend who helped build them told me about it. Oh and the chevy truck built like a rock. That was a special built truck. A truck off the assembly line would not have gone half way. I like the 59 and would be proud the drive it. That 6 would be abolt easier on gas, to work on,maintence and keep up with traffic all day. . iT,LL PROBABLY BE RUNNING ANOTHER 10 YEARS WHERE THE NEW MALIBU TODAY. WILL PROBABLY BE IN THE JUNK YARD.
I’m not an expert on physics or collisions. But I think it depends on the type of collision that occurred and the speed in which the collision occurred.